Suzie Leelawati, 28, is a domestic worker in an upper-middle-class Chinese family in Petaling Jaya, an upscale suburb outside the capital. Like so many other domestic helpers in Asia, Ms Leelawati works all day, every day of the year. She also works in the family-owned restaurant and, after that, is lent out to do more work for relatives and neighbours. 'I work every day,' she said. 'I sleep for only four to five hours a day.' But some help might be coming her way. An Asia-wide campaign by six regional networks of nongovernmental organisations, among them the Hong Kong-based Asian Migrant Centre, is pressuring governments to protect domestic workers like Ms Leelawati. The campaign's target is rather modest - to win them a weekly day off. 'This campaign is critical. Without a day off, foreign domestic workers cannot organise,' said Cynthia Gabriel, regional director of Caram Asia, a UN-funded coalition of Asian NGOs that is helping to co-ordinate the region-wide campaign, 'A day off also means a free day each week for them to access public health services and to do activities that will enhance and meet their psycho-social needs,' said Ms Gabriel. But one key problem for domestic workers everywhere in Asia, with the exception of Hong Kong and Taiwan, is that national laws classify them as 'servants', not 'workers.' 'It is just a word, but the right choice of word gives domestic workers legal status and protection, and the wrong one treats them like [low-caste Indian] untouchables,' said Ms Gabriel. 'Only in Hong Kong are domestic workers legally recognised as workers, better paid and accorded protection.' The year-long campaign, United for Foreign Domestic Workers' Rights, will pressure both national governments and regional groupings - like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum - to put the plight of domestic workers on their agenda, and to make and enforce rules like a weekly day off. The NGOs will run national and regional workshops and forums and map out the needs of domestic workers across Asia. In January this year Asean member countries signed a declaration pledging to do more to improve the living and working conditions of maids. 'Asean should be held accountable and pressured to fulfil the aims of the declaration,' said Teresa Kok, a Malaysian opposition lawmaker who had campaigned for the declaration. The plight of domestic workers was discussed among Asean parliamentarians on many occasions, she said. 'We worried that domestic workers are overworked, eat poorly, are alone and isolated,' she said. 'We need real action on a regional scale to tackle this human tragedy,' she said. When it comes to raising wages and giving legal status, countries such as Singapore and Malaysia drag their feet, said Ganesan Rajasegaran, secretary-general of the Malaysian Trade Union Congress, an umbrella labour body that is pressing Asean and the International Labour Organisation to better protect Asian domestic workers. In March the Philippines fixed the minimum wage for helpers working abroad at US$400 a month, while Indonesia said maids in that country had to be paid a minimum of 1.9 million rupiah (HK$1,644) effective July 1. But instead of meeting these demands, the rush is on to attract cheaper, legally vulnerable maids from China, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. 'If such measures as compulsory minimum wages and a weekly day off originate from within Asean or Apec, it can be enforced,' Mr Rajasegaran said. Besides a weekly rest day, the NGO campaign is also demanding that governments take steps to legitimise the industry. 'There must be a proper contract spelling out wages, payment method, permitted deductions and a proper grievances procedure,' said Ms Gabriel. 'In some countries the situation of domestic workers is horrific,' she said. 'But it would be a big success if we could just get a weekly day off.' Monthly rewards Hong Kong HK$ 3,480 Weekly day off, seven days (minimum) annual leave malaysia M$400 (HK$908) Day off required but not practised of enforced Singapore S$330 (HK$1,700) starting pay, but no minimum wage. weekly day off Taiwan NT$15,840 (HK$3,773) minimum wage. Weekly day off
